Dental Abscess

A dental abscess is the formation of pus in your mouth due to an infection. This dental emergency is often disregarded and misunderstood by many who think that it will go away on its own. Unfortunately, once a dental abscess develops, neither time nor first aid can treat it. Only your dentist can.

At Alex Bratic Dental Care, we get to the bottom of dental issues. We treat the cause of the dental abscess and make sure it doesn’t come back.

A dental abscess is a serious dental emergency hence we guarantee quick and efficient service for all our patients – young and old alike.

What Causes Dental Abscess?

The formation of pus in the mouth is called a dental abscess. Pus is protein-rich liquid composed of dead white blood cells. It appears as whitish or a whitish-yellow liquid that has a foul smell.

A dental abscess occurs inside the tooth, in the gums, or in the bones that hold the teeth. It develops one or two days after an infection. The infection is caused by a developing dental issue in your mouth and could be:

Severe tooth decay

Dead/dying nerve or pulp

Gum disease

Food lodged in between teeth

Poor dental work

Symptoms

Aside from the visible pus forming in your mouth, a dental abscess can have the following accompanying symptoms:

Bad breath

Bitter taste in the tongue

Red and swollen cheeks and gums

Difficulty in eating, swallowing and other related functions

Fever

Sensitive teeth

Toothache

Enlarged neck glands

As noted, once a dental abscess develops it will not go away on its own. If left unattended they can fester for months even years, affecting the bones and teeth.

First Aid Steps

It is important to understand that a dental abscess is not the real problem; it is simply an indication of a more serious dental issue progressing in your mouth. If you have a dental abscess, call your dentist right away. Do not disregard it. A dental abscess is a serious dental emergency. The longer you delay an appointment with your dentist, the more seriously the dental issue develops.

Here are first aid steps to help you manage, before you visit the dentist:

Gargle with an antiseptic mouthwash or a saltwater solution (1/2 teaspoon of salt to eight ounces of water).

Brush and floss to make sure that there is no food stuck in between teeth.

To relieve pain, take OTC pain relievers or apply clove oil to the affected area. Be mindful of the restrictions in taking OTC pain relievers.

Do not apply aspirin to the aching area as this can burn it.

If there is swelling, apply a cold compress.

Visit your dentist immediately.

Treatment At Alex Bratic Dental Care

Draining the dental abscess is the first step in the treatment process. By then, your Beenleigh dentist at Alex Bratic Dental Care will have determined the cause of the abscess through a series of examinations.